Voice
by Golden.Eyes.Are.Love
Summary: Bella is keeping a horrible secret. Her heart aches to tell someone, but knows she can't. Then Edward finds out that something is wrong with her, and Bella will have to use her voice again and speak the truth. *Deals with subject of rape* AH, BxE.


**Hello all. :) I'm here with another story. To the people who've read the other story; don't worry, I haven't given up on it. So sorry for the wait.**

**Anyway, I sort of based the idea for this story around the novel **_**Speak **_**by Laurie Halse Anderson. I'm not copying it, but it's sort of where I got the idea. (Kristen Stewart just happens to star in the movie, too.)**

**HEADS UP; This story deals with the subject of sexual abuse. If you do not wish to read something like that, I suggest clicking the back button right now.**

**Alright, now that that's over, hope you enjoy. Please review. Constructive criticism is welcome. :)**

**Disclaimer: Twilight and all characters belong to Stephenie Meyer. (Except for maybe a few I made up.)**

**Chapter One - BPOV**

It's him again. The monster, the one that haunts my dreams and every thought in my head. There's a burning in my throat, an ache in my heart, to scream. Scream it out to the whole world.

Mike Newton... shivered, fighting back tears. Again.

But once again, I hold my tongue. I just scrunch my eyes shut for a minute.

I open them, he's gone. I'm finally able to exhale.

"Bella," a voice calls my name. I turn, it's Angela.

"Come on, you're holding up the line." She elbowed me playfully.

Totally forgot I was in line for food in the cafeteria.

"Right," I mouthed. "sorry."

We walked to our usual table, where my better friends, Eric, Tyler, Jessica, Alice, and her brother Edward all sat, just having idle conversation.

I tried to smile at them as I sat down, and looked down at my hands, my normal routine at lunch lately.

"Bella honey, maybe try eating something?" Alice hinted in her always-cheerful voice.

I just nodded at her. Edward shook his head, looking somewhat distressed. He knew something was wrong. I looked up at him, worry was present in his features. He was staring right at me. I looked down again in embarrassment.

I remember that I used to have a crush on Edward, back before I exiled men.

Edward seems like a nice guy, well I know he is. But then again, I thought I knew Mike.

He smiled crookedly at me. You have no idea what kind of effect that used to have on me. Now?.. Not so much. I tried my best to smile back, but probably failed miserably.

I should probably tell someone and get it over with. It might even make me feel better.

But as far as I'm concerned, all that shit they tell you about expressing your feelings is a lie. Complete and total bullshit. Nobody gives a shit what you have to say.

"Uh oh," Eric groaned. "here comes power-couple Lauren and Mike."

My insides froze, and I tried to keep my body from shaking.

Mike Newton and his girlfriend Lauren walked right passed our table. Mike flashed me a smile, and I was fighting back tears again.

I could feel a pair of eyes on me, I knew it. I looked up. It was Edward again. He looked back at the monster, then back at me.

Eric chuckled. "What happened to the marshmellow we used to know that threw up in movie theaters?" He looked at me. "Right Bells?"

I nodded viciously.

"Be right back." I got up quickly, not totally sure where I was going...

The parking lot!

I walked by my truck, and paced. I wasn't totally sure what I was doing.

Something touched my shoulder. I jumped back and screamed.

It was Edward.

Edward Cullen and I had never been especially close, but we were friends. We knew each other pretty well. Even more concern was apparent in his eyes, almost panic-like. He smiled a light smile at me.

"It's just me," he assured me in his velvety voice. "Are you alright, Bella?"

I just looked down. I couldn't say yes, because it was a downright lie. I wasn't a good liar.

But I couldn't tell him the truth either.

So, I just stood there, like a mute. That's what I was nowadays, a mute.

"Please just say something, Bella," he pleaded. "If you don't wanna talk to me, just talk to someone, anyone!"

"No. I-I-I just..," I stammered. "I can't. No."

"Open your mouth, Bella! What did Mike do to you?"

I gasped. How did he know? I started shaking. It felt like convulsions.

Everything around me was spinning.

And all I saw was blackness.

I felt nothing. It felt good for a change.

Well, I wouldn't call it nothing. I would call it dreamy. Like nothing in the world could harm me.

Then, a familiar feeling came over me. Someone was touching me.

And I couldn't see. All blackness. I couldn't wake up.

He was touching me. It was him again.

I screamed, but no sound came out, I thrashed around, but his arms were like stones, holding me down, and stripping me down at the same time.

"No," I choked out. "Please, get off me."

I felt him all over.

"GET OFF!" I yelled.

I was able to see again, and saw a piercing white light.

"Bella, it's alright," a soft voice reassured me. "You're alright."

I looked up at Edward, who was standing over me.

"He's gone?" I asked.

"He was never here."

"I _am_ crazy." Tears began to ebb, and overflow.

He shook his head. "You can't blame yourself, I won't allow it."

"Where am I?" I started hearing some kind of beeping.

"Hospital, you collapsed in the parking lot."

"Oh," I said. "Is anyone here besides you?"

"Your father, Alice, Eric, and Angela. They're down getting some food. Jessica and Tyler were here before, but you were asleep.

"Did you um," I hesitated. "say anything to them?"

"No," he answered. "I want you to be the one to tell them. You have to tell them that something happened."

I closed my eyes, and leaned back on the pillow. I couldn't.

"Will you tell me?"

I opened my eyes again, and he put his hand on mine. Usually, I would pull it back, but... something was stopping me.

I thought about that for a moment, Could I bare to relive that day, again?

"In time," I finally answered.

"Whenever you're ready."

"Bella!" a familiar voice called out to me. I heard frantic footsteps.

My father, Charlie Swan, Chief of Police.

He could have the monster arrested in a heartbeat, if only I wasn't weak. If only I would open my mouth.

"Hey Dad," I whispered.

"How ya doin' baby?"

"Alright. Sorry for causing all this trouble," I apologized.

He rolled his eyes. "_Please _Bella. Don't apologize, it isn't your fault. The docs can't figure out why you collapsed, though."

I looked at Edward, he just gave me a sympathetic smile.

I seriously owed him one.

And I will tell him. I _will._

And in that moment, I felt a spark of something. A feeling I haven't felt since that night. That awful night.

Trust.


End file.
